How to use Pinterest to plan your wedding

This post really should have been titled “How to plan your wedding with Pinterest… without losing your mind”. Because it can get somehow overwhelming.

Pinterest is a great planning tool, as long as you use it right. Most brides-to-be are addicts, most bloggers, too (by the way, are you following me yet?).
Pinterest makes it easy for you to bookmark and categorize ideas and inspiration found online. On Pinterest, you can follow more wedding blogs than you’ll ever be able to read and you can create your own online inspiration board, a very important first step in any planning process.

However, the sheer volume of pictures pinned every minute of the day can make Pinterest and the “task of keeping up” daunting. Also, most photos on the social network represent a “reality” that doesn’t necessarily match the bride’s (especially when it comes to budget). Lots of people have also criticized that Pinterest discourages creativity and in turn promotes a culture of “copying”, rather than “creating” (see this really good blog post).

These are all valid points, and that’s why I think that brides should keep several things in mind when using the online tool. So here come my 7 tips on how to make the most out of Pinterest when planning your wedding!

1. Keep your expectations in check
Pinterest is a curated collection of images, that you will curate even more when you start using it for your wedding. Pictures you see on there might be from highly styled editorial shoots. If they’re from real weddings, they are most likely the few very best photographs from the around 1000 shots usually taken at a wedding.

Be aware that Pinterest is not a reflection of reality and in many instances might clash with the resources and means you have at hand. The blush-toned peonies you see everywhere might not be available the time of year you’re getting married, and the Elie Saab gown you’ve pinned over and over again is probably way out of your price range.

Keep collecting all these gorgeous pictures (because let’s admit it, it’s fun), just don’t be disappointed if you can’t get exactly the same thing for your own big day… Which is actually a good thing, otherwise we’d all end up with the same type of cookie-cutter wedding, right?

2. Leave room for your own style and ideas
Don’t let Pinterest (or any wedding magazine, wedding blog, or anyone for that matter) dictate how your wedding should be. DIY craft projects are huge in the wedding scene right now and you’ll probably find tons of tutorials on Pinterest, but if it’s not your thing, don’t do it. Same thing goes for the rustic-chic style, still trending on Pinterest… if you never liked burlap and bunting, don’t incorporate it into your wedding.

Leave room for your own ideas. Don’t just repin, but upload snapshots of a cool window display or a beautiful flower you saw on your way to work. Make sure there is always enough of “you” in your wedding board.

3. Use secret boards
Pinterest was designed as a social network and its whole point is for users to follow each other and see other other’s pins. But, it’s this very same logic that makes it inherently vulnerable to becoming a giant Xerox-machine, forever recycling and copying ideas.
If you’d prefer to use it as a private bookmarking tool, use the secret boards. You can share them with your fiancée or maybe your maid of honor, who is helping you with the wedding preparations, but they are not accessible to the general public.

4. Search and pin non-wedding related photos
Don’t just focus on “weddings” as a topic while on Pinterest. Pin from interior design magazines, fashion blogs, and travel photographers. These fields can be equally inspiring and might even help you to define your own, unique vision, rather than just copying current wedding trends. Variety is the key!

5. Don’t forget your offline life
This ties in with number 2 and 4: Don’t rely only on Pinterest as a source of inspiration. You don’t want a Pinterest wedding, you want to wedding that’s “you”. So look for inspiration offline. And take into consideration “real” things, like the architecture of your venue, the season you’ll get married in, the colors of the natural surroundings of your location.

6. Narrow it down
Now, this is a word of caution regarding the aforementioned wealth of images on Pinterest. In the initial phase of your planning, you’ll go on a pinning marathon, and that’s ok. But as you approach half-time, start editing your boards, and yes, start deleting pins. Narrow it down to the photos and ideas you really like. In the end, you will want a board that reflects exactly the style, feel and colors of your celebration, and if it’s “only” 15 images.

7. Stick to your decisions
Once you have decided on a style, don’t look back and stop searching for more. I know, making decisions is hard, but there comes a point in time when you have to call it a day and consider your Pinterest planning phase done. And then stop looking.

Hi there! I am Esther, and this blog is where I curate the most stylish Mediterranean weddings to inspire brides who want to get married in Southern Europe.
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